


When The Whole World Knows But You Gotta Keep Going

by QueenieCantWrite



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Reporters, Reveal, Worldwide reveal, but they're MY oblivious idiots, everyone knew before the reveal, everyone knows, except Mari and Adrien, literally everyone knows, public, they're still oblivious idiots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:47:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24729949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenieCantWrite/pseuds/QueenieCantWrite
Summary: The worst thing possible in Marinette's mind has happened.Their identities have been revealed.To the whole world.It's not as surprising to their friends as it is to them though... >:)
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 19
Kudos: 91





	1. Chapter 1

"Bye bye, little butterfly!"

Ladybug released the de-evilized Akuma into the blue sky. 

"Pound it, Milady?" Ladybug met her fist to his leather-clad one and prepared to zip off into the sky to get home in time for dinner, Papa was making ravioli and she was _starving_ after that exasperatingly long battle. 

She was stopped by a swarm of reporters, all pointing microphones in her face and flashing cameras in her eyes. 

Ladybug stumbled back into Chat and quickly used his arm to steady herself. 

"Ladybug!"

"Chat Noir!"

"That was an amazing fight! How did you manage to defeat it using only a pair of sunglasses?!"

"Can I get an autograph?"

"Chat Noir! Can I get an exclusive interview?"

"What's it like saving the city every day, Ladybug?"

Ladybug felt like she was drowning, never had the reporters been so malicious, she was losing her cool! She was Ladybug, the savior of Paris! She saved the whole damned city every single day from ridiculously themed Akuma, and she couldn't handle a few cameras? 

"Enough!" She finally managed to yell over the crowd. The out-of-rhythm round of her and Chat Noir's Miraculous beeping signaled they only had a minute to get out of there. 

"The Lady's right, we gotta split! We'll take that of _fur_ on that interview another day." He pointed some clawed fingerguns at the nearest camera, and started to extend his staff to propel himself out of there when the final beep of their miraculous rand and the two heroes met each other's eyes in a look of sheer panic. 

Ladybug tried once more to pull herself out of the shrinking circle of space but her yoyo disappeared when her transformation dropped.

In front of everyone.

And these _vultures_ got it all on camera.

Marinette was panicking.

Of course she was panicking.

She had been so careful about keeping her identity secret, even to those whom she loved most.

And now, all her hard work, all her pain, all her lies which ate at her with guilt.

It had all been for nothing.

For, here she stood, detransformed, in front of all of Paris’ news station’s cameras.

She was completely and utterly helpless.

She turned to Chat for help, but instead of the unrecognizable face of some random stranger, which she had more or less expected, she locked eyes with the very recognizable Adrien Agreste.

The last thing she felt was the world spinning, and being caught by the non-leather-clad arms of her partner.

Then the world went black.


	2. Chapter 2

Adrien froze as he felt his transformation wear off, leaving his _very well-known_ identity behind. 

He knew that there were cameras pointed at them, taking in every second of the reveal.

He turned to Ladybug- no, Marinette!

Marinette's face was full of terror, and as their eyes locked, her face morphed into an unrecognizable expression. Adrien stepped forward in an attempt to clear the ravenous reporters, but only succeeded in more cameras shoved in his face, which he didn't even think was possible.

He felt Marinette sway and instinctively caught her as her eyes rolled back into her head. 

That was it, didn't these people know personal space? Boundaries? Privacy??

He looked down at Plagg, who had been hiding in his shirt jacket, 

"Do you think you can transform me for a sec? Just to get us out of here?" He asked the mini cheese god. 

Plagg gave a nod, and he called for his transformation. 

"Bug out!" He called, rather ferociously as he lifted himself and the unconscious form of his Lady up and to the safest place he thought possible. 

Marinette's bedroom. 

Surely, her parents would understand her being an awesome superhero, if not, they would at least be better about it than his own father. 

Chat shuddered at that thought but didn't, couldn't dwell on it. He had a Lady and himself to save. 

As soon as he landed on her balcony with Marinette in his arms, Plagg dropped his transformation, and Tikki, Marinette's kwami who he had met that one time with Reflekdoll, pulled Plagg down into the kitchen to charge back up. 

He lowered Marinette down onto her chaise and went downstairs to find help. 

He had no. Idea. How to help an unconscious person. 

"Adrien, Dear? What are you doing here?" Sabine stood from her meditative position on the couch. 

Adrien panted as he gestured up to Marinette's room. 

"We have kind of an emergency, Mme. Cheng." 

"Ah, I see, press give you a hard time?" Adrien just nodded, not questioning her knowledge of the subject for the time being.

Sabine bustled up into the pink room and hurried toward Marinette's prone form. 

"She fainted," He added, not so helpfully, but he didn't know what to do!

"Ah, I see, she never was comfortable around any kind of camera." Sabine tutted, as she wetted a towel and dabbed Marinette's face with it. 

Finally, after about 20 seconds (which felt like 200 years for Adrien), Marinette stirred and shot bolt upright. 

"WHAT?!" She screamed as she looked around the room. 

"It's okay sweetie, you're safe now, and so is your Chat." Sabine reassured. 

"Wh-b- how did you- how did you know?" Marinette stammered.

"Darling, I'm your mother. I know everything about you. You don't think I haven't heard you sneak in and out for patrols? Although I do wish you wouldn't stay out so late, and if I didn't find you out from that, I would have from those crazy excuses you come up with for being late or missing. Honestly, it's a wonder that the whole world hasn't figured you two out. " 

"Err, about that..." Adrien started. "The press might have surrounded us and caught us detransforming on all their cameras. " 

Marinette squeaked and sat back down again. "what are we supposed to do?" she wailed and covered her face with her hands. 

"The only thing we can do. Wait. Now, let's go downstairs so I can fix you two up with some croissants while we keep an eye on the television. " Sabine led the two downstairs. 

As they sat at the table, the sound of the TV's news changed and the two heroes exchanged a look of worry and regret. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_“Don’t be bemused, It's just the news! I’m Nadja Chamack at TVi News. There has been a very interesting occurrence today. About an hour ago, Paris’ superheroes Ladybug and Chat Noir defeated yet another of Hawkmoth’s Akuma. Eager to get a scoop on the masterful plan that managed to purify the victim, reporters arrived at the scene once the danger had cleared, but Ladybug and Chat Noir were unable to clear the premises in time, and detransformed right in front of our very own cameras! Following is amateur footage of the reveal in its entirety, so stay tuned! We’ll be back right after this short break.”_

Marinette couldn’t breathe.

This was it.

In just a few minutes, her identity was going to be revealed to the whole world.

And there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Marinette buried her face in her hands. Wasn’t she supposed to be lucky? She was The Lady Luck, wasn’t she?

Adrien, _Chat,_ patted her back in an attempt to comfort her.

It didn’t work. Nothing could comfort her now, not after what was about to happen in a few seconds.

Her phone buzzed, but she ignored it.

It continued buzzing, so Adrien picked it up and checked the caller ID on the screen.

“It’s Alya.” He said, handing it to her.

Marinette uncovered her face and took the phone in her trembling hands.

She accepted the call.

 _“Mari are you okay? Where are you? Are you at the bakery? Do you want me to come over? Never mind that, I’m coming over, see you in a few.”_ Alya hung up before Marinette say anything.

“What was that about?” Adrien questioned. Marinette just shrugged helplessly.

Not five minutes later, the bell on the bakery door’s bell chimed and a very winded Alya stopped in the doorway to catch her breath.

“I” _pant_ “Came” _pant_ “As fast” _pant_ “As I could.”

Finally, she straightened and dashed to hug her best friend.

“I’m so sorry I’m so sorry I’m so sorry! Is there any chance they might be wrong? Does the Miraculous magic go that far?” Alya questioned? Holding her at shoulders-length and looking her in the eye once she had given her a firm hug.

“Nope.” Adrien answered for her, “They got the whole thing on camera. If they could see anything besides our nose hairs, those reporters were like savages! They were literally RIGHT in our faces!”

Alya cringed. “And _That’_ s why I stopped following you two so much.”

“Waitwaitwait,” Marinette gaped. “Are you telling me that you knew? This whole time?! Did you know about Adrien too?”

Alya smirked. “Girl, have you heard the crazy excuses you spurt? Just last week you said ‘I forgot to feed my sewing machine!’ you should be worried for my mental health if I _didn’t_ figure it out. And you, Model boy, don’t think you’re too slick either.”

Marinette paled, “Who else do you think knows?” she turned to Adrien.

Plagg flew out of Adrien’s pocket with cheese crumbs tumbling off his chin. “Like I’m always telling this kid, people are blind. But you’d have to be literally blind to not see who you are after this commercial break is done. Honestly, why do they need to advertise cars? I’d much rather watch a commercial about cheese.”

Marinette sank down into her spot on the couch again, soon joined by her friends, the two Kwami, and her mother.

The News broadcast theme music blared and Marinette pulled her knees to her chest, hugging herself into the smallest ball possible.

The broadcast then proceeded to show the video, and if anyone happened to not recognize their faces (honestly, who wouldn’t recognize _Adrien Agreste?_ ), the reporter then followed the clip with the names of the two heroes.

So much for anonymity.

Marinette slumped, defeated, but jumped right back up again when the sounds of the paparazzi outside flooded their ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyy sorry about the VERY long wait! I had a bunch of college courses to power through lately but I finally finished most of them! I just edited the chapters I already had up, and am working on chapter 4 right now. it should be posted sometime today. of course, if anyone has any ideas or suggestions I am open to them! thanks to those of you who have read (666 people so far... that's encouraging, and not creepy at all! :'D)


	4. Chapter 4

“Close all of the curtains, and make sure all doors and windows are locked and securely shut,” Adrien ordered. “Usually this kind of paparazzi ends after a day or two, although…” He trailed off, glancing at the television which was now replaying the clips from various angles, assumedly from different footage admitted from the many reporters.

Sabine and Tom nodded and rushed around the house, securing and blocking out every window and door, including closing the bakery downstairs.

“I’m sure my house has more wolves swarming it at the moment,” He cringed. “Who _knows_ how my father will take this.”

Marinette squeezed his arm sympathetically, then froze. Her eyes widened and she started hyperventilating.

Alya glanced at Adrien and her face was taken over with an expression of understanding. “C’mon girl, lets clean you up.” Alya took her friend and led her up to the very pink ( _and very Agreste-Covered)_ bedroom, closing the blinds of any windows they passed on the way. 

Once in the safety of her bedroom, Marinette lost it.

“OhmygoshohmygoshohmygOSH ALYA!!!” She clenched the redhead’s arm in a death grip, which, considering she was a superhero, wasn’t exactly comfortable.

“Please tell me I’m dreaming!? Alya?! I’m going to wake up soon, right? And everything will be back to normal again? Where no one knows my identity? Where you and my parents haven’t known the whole time, and where now all of Paris and soon the WHOLE WORLD don’t know who Ladybug is?! Right?! Please pinch me Alya so I can be done with this misery. ”

Alya cringed and pinched her tentatively, causing Marinette’s freak out to continue.

“This is a disaster!!” The bluenette wailed. Then she shot straight up.

“OH MY KWAMI!” her gaze drifted to her Wall of Agreste, horrified.

“That means that…ADRIEN REALLY IS CHAT NOIR!?” she shrieked, and Alya cringed again, finding it nearly impossible that the said boy _wouldn’t_ hear her.

“Oh my gosh, this can’t be happening! Adrien can’t be Chat, because that would mean that I’ve been rejecting him all this time… _FOR HIM!_ ” Alya had to admit, this was a source of major amusement and annoyance; seeing her best friend and her obvious crush skipping around each other was _beyond_ exasperating.

“Come on girl, it isn’t all that bad. And now that you know, maybe you can finally admit your feelings for him!” She suggested, hoping to bring her spirits up, but only causing another wave of panic to cross the bluenette’s face.

“I can’t do _that!_ Not now!”

Alya rolled her eyes, her friend was _hopeless_. “Well, we can’t stay up here all day, we need to go back downstairs and formulate a plan. Now help me take these down, will ya? Unless you _want_ him to see them. Honestly, it’s a mystery that he didn’t spot them before, assuming you guys came in through the balcony.” She said, starting to take the many, _many_ pictures of Adrien off of her wall, creating a stack. Once the due was finished, she slid the pile into a drawer, only to find that the drawer that she had used as a safe place, was already holding something round and red. _The Miracle Box_ , she figured. Well, Paris’ superheroine had to hide it _somewhere._ Alya closed it and placed the photos into the drawer below, which was filled with just a bunch of fabric scraps.

“C’mon girl, we got work to do.” Alya lead her friend down the ladder and back into the living room where everyone awaited them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aahh!! Sorry that it has been so long since i have last updated! School is way too time-consuming :( 
> 
> And i know this chapter is short, but i have some things planned for the next chapters to come! And if anyone has any suggestions to how some of the class's reactions might be (assuming they already knew), then please feel free to put them in the comments, and ill do my best to work them in! <3
> 
> Stay safe out there!

Adrien was left with the two kwami in the living room, as Sabine went down to the bakery to help Tom close up and put everything away. Tikki was fluttering around the house, checking all of the windows and doors--Plagg was unhelpfully reclining on the couch ordering Tikki and himself around the room to check every single nook and cranny--while Adrien was brainstorming what to do next.

This was it, everyone in Paris knew who they were behind the masks, and soon the word would undoubtedly spread to the rest of the world.

He was glad that he finally knew his partner’s identity, but he hated that it had to be like this. They were supposed to reveal themselves after Hawkmoth’s defeat, at some café or something, of their _own_ accord. He felt cheated that they didn’t get to do it like that like the universe had done this on purpose to spite him. _Black cats were supposed to be unlucky after all, weren’t they?_

Adrien couldn’t be happier with who his lady had turned out to be though. Of course it was Marinette! Marinette was kind, brave, loyal…everything that Ladybug was, but without the mask! He couldn’t believe that he hadn’t seen it before! She even had the same bluebell eyes and raven blue pigtails! Man, Plagg wasn’t kidding, he really _was_ bli-

Adrien’s thoughts were cut off by a screeching noise coming from upstairs. He furrowed his brows in concern, wondering what _that_ was about. When no more equally loud sounds were heard, Adrien shrugged to himself. Maybe Marinette had seen a mouse?

…Speaking of mice, he would have to ask Marinette about how she had managed to pull off that Multimouse stunt someday, that was genius! Adrien sighed, lovesick. _His lady was so smart._

Too bad she didn’t return his feelings. Adrien frowned. It would have been perfect! Now that they knew each other’s identities, they could have been able to date like normal people, not just inside the mask. But, alas, Adrien knew that Marinette had no more feelings for either Chat _or_ Adrien than she did as Ladybug.

No matter though, if it was meant to be, which, of course, _it was._ Then everything would turn out in due time. They were still young after all…plenty of time to start wooing her as both his leather-clad persona _and_ his supermodel one!


End file.
